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Day 2 of MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, the largest international music awards in the country set for May 21 and 22 at Rohm Theater Kyoto, will be broadcast live on NHK, and both days will be streamed worldwide on YouTube (excluding some regions), it was announced Thursday (Jan. 16) Japan time.
In addition to the previously announced awards recognizing a wide variety of works in eight categories and 50 divisions, prizes have been added in new categories including the “Co-creation categories” linked to companies involved in music.
Toyota Group has been confirmed as a top partner, Kinoshita Group and NTT DOCOMO, Inc. as gold partners, and Kyoto University of the Arts (Uryuzan Gakuen) as a silver partner. Prize partners set to establish their own divisions in the co-creation categories include XING Inc., DAIICHIKOSHO Co., Ltd., JASRAC (Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers), Spotify Japan, and USEN Corporation. In addition, TimeTree, Inc., IRIS Inc. (TOKYO PRIME), LIVE BOARD, Inc., and LY Corporation will be media partners, JTB Corp., Space Shower Networks, Inc., and RecoChoku, Co., Ltd. will be project partners, and companies related to the music industry will support the awards as music industry partners.
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In the newly established co-creation categories awarded in collaboration with prize partner companies involved in the music industry, the best song will be chosen from among those enjoyed by general listeners on karaoke and cable broadcasting. Furthermore, the award for “Best Viral Song” celebrating songs that became popular after going viral on TikTok, and the “Radio Special Award” chosen by radio directors and radio DJs in collaboration with radio stations nationwide, have also been announced.
Details of the general voting (Listeners’ Choice) categories, where general listeners can participate in the selection process through Spotify’s voting function, have been revealed as well. Along with the two previously announced awards decided by general vote from Spotify users from both within and outside Japan — Best of Listeners’ Choice: Domestic Song powered by Spotify and Best of Listeners’ Choice: Global Song powered by Spotify — the nominees for the Top Global Hit From Japan category, one of the six main categories that celebrates domestic songs that have become hits around the world, will be selected through votes from Spotify users outside of Japan.
Co-creation categories
Karaoke Special Award: Karaoke of the Year powered by DAM & JOYSOUND: An award honoring songs sung the most at karaoke. The top 30 songs sung the most on DAM and JOYSOUND during the target period will be eligible, and the song sung the most on DAM and JOYSOUND during the Karaoke Special Award tallying period after the nominees have been announced will be chosen as the best work. (Two divisions, J-Pop and Enka / Kayōkyoku, are planned.)
Request Special Award: Oshikatsu Request of the Year powered by USEN: An award honoring the song that received the most requests on the USEN Oshikatsu Request Ranking. The song that received the most requests on the year-end USEN Oshikatsu Request Ranking will be awarded as best work.
Creators Special Award: Song of the Year for Creators presented by JASRAC: An award honoring the creator of the song that received the largest distribution of royalties from JASRAC. This award will be given to the creator of the song from among those entrusted to JASRAC for copyright management which received the largest distribution of royalties for 2024.
Song category
Best Viral Song: This award celebrates songs that went on to attract general attention after having gone viral through their use in videos and posts on TikTok. The best song will be selected from the top 50 songs chosen based on an original chart that combines the number of times they were used on TikTok and the total number of views on videos using the songs.
Alliance category
Radio Special Award: An award honoring songs that radio directors and radio DJs think are musically creative and artistic. The directors and DJs of music programs on 53 FM radio stations will each recommend up to three songs, and the top ten with the most nominations will be eligible. All the directors and DJs of the radio stations that recommended the songs will vote to decide the best work.
General voting categories
Best of Listeners’ Choice: Domestic Song powered by Spotify: An award given to the best song decided by general vote from Spotify users from both within and outside Japan.
Best of Listeners’ Choice: Global Song powered by Spotify: An award given to the best global song decided by general vote from Spotify users from both within and outside Japan.
MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2025 KYOTO
Date of Ceremony: Wednesday, May 21 and Thursday, May 22, 2025
MAJ Week: From Saturday, May 17 to Friday, May 23, 2025
Venue: ROHM Theatre Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
The event on May 22 will be broadcast live on NHK.
Events on both days will be streamed globally on YouTube (some regions excluded).
As U.S. TikTok users brace for a potential ban of the platform, some of them are actively testing other options: Two apps with TikTok-like characteristics, RedNote and Lemon8, are now the most popular free downloads in Apple’s App Store.
Lemon8 launched in the U.S. in February 2023 and cracked the top 20 on the Apple App Store four months later, according to Sensor Tower. Like TikTok, Lemon8 features a “For You” feed that recommends clips and a “following” feed that serves up videos from creators that users follow. Sensor Tower reported in October that 94% of Lemon8 users are women and that the app had been downloaded 52 million times globally.
RedNote, which was founded in 2013, is much bigger: Bloomberg recently reported that it has more than 300 million monthly active users and that it made $1 billion in profit in 2024. The platform has a trending feed that resembles TikTok’s, allowing users to vertically scroll through short-form videos. It also incorporates regular photos, text posts, and e-commerce; one tester described it as “Instagram meets TikTok meets Reddit.”
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Both Lemon8 and RedNote are owned by Chinese entities — in fact, Lemon8 is owned by ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company. That could mean these apps also have a precarious future in the U.S., as TikTok is facing a ban because the American government is worried about its Chinese ownership.
“I’ve been concerned, literally for years, that because TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese firm, and every company — based upon Chinese law — has to be first and foremost loyal to the Communist Party of China, not to their shareholders or customers, that TikTok has posed a national security concern,” Sen. Mark Warner said earlier this month. His concerns would presumably extend to other ByteDance-owned companies, like CapCut and Lemon8.
In December, the Supreme Court agreed to hear TikTok’s challenge to the law that would either force ByteDance to sell the app or bar it from the U.S. President-elect Donald Trump also asked the court to pause the ban, promising to “resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.”
But after the Supreme Court hearing last week, most legal experts believe the justices will uphold the law. In that case, ByteDance would have to offload TikTok or face a ban on Jan. 19.
At the Supreme Court hearing, Justice Brett Kavanaugh claimed that China could use data harvested from TikTok to “develop spies, to turn people, to blackmail people.” And Chief Justice John Roberts asked how the court was “supposed to ignore the fact that the ultimate parent [company] is, in fact, subject to doing intelligence work for the Chinese government?”
With TikTok’s possible prohibition just days away, some labels have already started gaming out alternative marketing strategies.
“It’s hard to imagine a reality where TikTok actually goes down,” one executive told Billboard in December. “But we need to be prepared.”
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Drake has officially brought the US Justice system into his “beef” with Kendrick Lamar. The Toronto rapper has filed a lawsuit for defamation against the Universal Music Group (UMG), his own record label.
Drake’s new lawsuit against UMG over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”:
“It was just three days after UMG originally published the Recording and Image that Drake was targeted at his Toronto house by armed intruders in the 2024 equivalent of ‘Pizzagate.’”https://t.co/EVhVle8tsx pic.twitter.com/fMwDvoWQLp
— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) January 15, 2025
Earlier, it was reported that Drake had dropped his initial legal petition against UMG and Spotify, where he claimed both entities had manipulated the plays of Kendrick Lamar’s scathing “Not Like Us” to his detriment. Per usual, Drizzy was met with scorn due to even the idea of brining the authorities into a rap battle.
But alas, it was only dropped so the 6 God could raise the ante, as reported by Variety, on Wednesday, January 15, he filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York accusing UMG of defamation due its promotion of “Not Like Us,” where K. Dot likens him to a pedophile, amongst other derogatory (to the delight of many listeners) accusations. Per Drake, UMG knew that Kendrick Lamar’s claims were all lies, but they promoted the song anyway and “chose corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists. UMG saw an opportunity, seized it, and continued to fan the flames.”
The suit contends Drake’s issue is with UMG boosting “Not Like Us” and not with Kendrick Lamar, technically.
Reports Variety:
Although Lamar’s lyrics are at the heart of the lawsuit, it clearly places the blame on Universal for releasing, distributing and promoting the song: “This lawsuit is not about the artist who created ‘Not Like Us,’” it suit reads. “It is, instead, entirely about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit, and monetize allegations that it understood were not only false, but dangerous.” However, Drake seems to have backed down on claims that UMG and Spotify conspired to falsely boost the song’s streaming numbers; those allegations were strenuously denied by both companies. Ironically, Universal distributes both Lamar’s and Drake’s music — both artists own their recent master recordings via their companies — and has for the majority of both artists’ careers. The suit claims that because Drake’s current deal with UMG is nearing the end of its term, the company is attempting to devalue his music and profile in an effort to gain more-favorable terms in a renegotiation.
Now Drake is really getting cooked on the Internets. See for yourself in the gallery.
Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance just got that much more highly anticipated.
This story is developing.
Harvey Mason Jr., CEO, Recording Academy and MusiCares and Tammy Hurt, chair of the academy’s board of trustees, held a webinar on Wednesday (Jan. 15) to tell Academy members of their plans for the Feb. 2 show and other Grammy Week events.
Mason also released a press statement in which he explained the rationale for going forward. “We understand how devastating this past week has been on this city and its people,” Mason said. “This is our home, it’s home to thousands of music professionals, and many of us have been negatively impacted. So, after thoughtful consideration and multiple assurances from state and local elected leaders, public safety agencies and with support from our incredible artist community, we have decided to go ahead with the Grammy telecast and some select events. Grammy Week 2025 will not just be about honoring music, it will be about using the power of music to help rebuild, uplift and support those in need.”
The academy also released a revised (they used the term “condensed”) 2025 Grammy Week event schedule. As previously announced, the 67th Annual Grammy Awards telecast on CBS will continue to be held on Feb. 2, “but with a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours.”
The academy’s decision to go forward with the 67th annual Grammy Awards at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, despite the wildfires that have devastated parts of the city, has been controversial.
Even before the Grammys announced plans to go on with the show, Lucas Keller, president and founder of Milk & Honey Management, announced that he was cancelling Milk & Honey’s popular Grammy party. “It would be tone deaf to celebrate and I hope all other companies will follow suit,” he wrote on his Instagram Story.
Many followed Keller’s lead. Just hours after the Recording Academy announced that it planned to go ahead with the telecast, Universal Music Group (UMG) announced it was canceling all of the company’s Grammy-related events, including its artist showcase and after-Grammy party, and will instead “redirect the resources that would have been used for those events to assist those affected by the wildfires.” Within 24 hours, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment had also canceled plans. BMG and Billboard also canceled party plans.
Many executives not based in Los Angeles expressed concern about taking up hotel rooms that may be needed by evacuees and planned not to attend.
In their messaging, the Academy is stressing the philanthropic angle. They note that each event on the schedule “will have a fundraising element.” Clive Davis’ & the Recording Academy’s legendary pre-Grammy gala – which most simply refer to as “Clive’s party” – has been rebranded for this year as Clive Davis’ & the Recording Academy’s Pre-Grammy Fundraising Event. The academy also made sure to include the word “charity” in the name of another of its most exclusive events — the MusiCares Persons of the Year Charity Gala.
The revised schedule for Grammy Week events is as follows:
Since launching the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort to Support Music Professionals last week, the Recording Academy and MusiCares have raised and pledged more than $2 million in emergency aid to music people affected by the wildfires.
This is the third time in the last five years that the Grammy telecast has been impacted by outside events. The 2021 and 2022 shows were both postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 show was bumped from Jan. 31 to March 14. The 2022 ceremony was pushed all the way from Jan. 31 to April 3, and its location was moved to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas due to scheduling conflicts with the Crypto.com Arena.
The Recording Academy has yet to announce the host of this year’s Grammys. The announcement was expected last week, but has been delayed to avoid stepping on the news about whether the show was going to proceed or not. The announcement is expected soon.
The Recording Academy had first announced Feb. 2 as the date for this year’s telecast last May. Dates are not easy to move. For one thing, the Oscars, the oldest and most heavily covered awards show, are set for March 2.
The Grammy telecast will be produced by Fulwell 73 Productions for the Recording Academy for the fifth consecutive year. Ben Winston, Raj Kapoor and Jesse Collins are executive producers.
Beyoncé is the top nominee for the 67th annual Grammy Awards with 11 nods, followed by Charli XCX and Post Malone with eight nods each, and Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar with seven nods each. Final-round voting closed on Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. PT, so the outcomes will have been sealed for weeks before they are finally announced.
Alejandro Fernández claims the first new No. 1 of 2025 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart as “No Me Sé Rajar” advances 3-1 to lead the Jan. 18-dated ranking.
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“No Me Sé Rajar” was originally written by Mexican guitarist and composer José Carmen Frayle Castañón in 1981 and recorded by the late Vicente Fernández, Alejandro’s father. The new version of the song, a more modern take to the original mariachi tune, was produced by Eden Muñoz and released by Alejandro Fernández Oct. 25 on Universal Music Latino/UMLE.
The song’s coronation on Regional Mexican Airplay comes after a 14% gain in audience impressions, to 7.7 million, logged in the tracking week of Jan. 3-9, according to Luminate. Thanks to the surge, Fernández adds an 11th No. 1 among 30 total entries since the tally begun in 1994. He extends his third-most champs streak among soloists, behind Christian Nodal (17 No. 1s) and Gerardo Ortiz (13).
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Notably, out of Fernández’s 30 career entries on Regional Mexican Airplay, all his No. 1s have arrived in the 2020s decade, dating back to the one-week ruler “Caballero” in January 2020. With 11 rulers since, he claims the record for the most No. 1s by a solo artist this decade.
While Vicente Fernández’s version of “No Me Sé Rajar” didn’t make it to the charts as it was released before the 31-year-old ranking launched, the late mariachi star scored seven No. 1s among his 47 entries on Regional Mexican Airplay, dating to “Nos Estorbo La Ropa” in 1998 and placing his last champ with “El Último Beso” in 2009.
“No Me Sé Rajar” also gains territory on the overall Latin Airplay ranking, where it jumps 5-3 with a 10% gain in impressions, to 8 million.
Karol G Ties Shakira for Most Weeks At No. 1
Elsewhere on Latin Airplay, Shakira’s “La Tortura,” featuring Alejandro Sanz, has company as Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” adds a 25th week atop the overall Latin radio ranking, which puts both songs into a tie for the all-time record for the most weeks at No. 1 since the chart launched in 1994.
“Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” ties the record through continued strong performance on Latin Airplay, with 25 weeks at the summit among its 29-week run. Despite not gaining audience, the song holds solidly atop with 11.8 million total impressions.
Beyond its new mark, “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” adds a 27th week at No. 1 on Tropical Airplay, extending its second-most weeks atop, only two weeks short from the record held by Prince Royce’s “Carita de Inocente,” which continues to lead with 29 weeks in charge.
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Atlanta rapper Rocko went viral, but not for the reason you’d expect. The UOENO rapper got arrested for disorderly conduct and willful obstruction, but Twitter ignored all that and instead roasted him for his receding hairline. His mugshot was posted online, and people quickly started comparing his hairline to LeBron James’ famous struggle cut.
Atlanta rapper Rocko arrested for disorderly conduct, willful obstruction pic.twitter.com/8lHc1PKkSX
— SAY CHEESE! 👄🧀 (@SaycheeseDGTL) January 14, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The internet went wild, with jokes and memes about Rocko’s hair taking over Twitter. Folks were cracking on him nonstop, making it all about his hairline instead of the arrest. It became one of those classic viral moments where the real story just gets lost in the jokes. Rocko didn’t seem too pressed about it though, taking the roasting in stride. The UOENO rapper went on IG to respond to all the trolls, “Man f**k all y’all I promise you, I hope y’all got some money today because I did. B**tch!”. As he was laughing hysterically.
Rocko is best known for his 2013 hit “UOENO,” a track that blew up and made some huge noise in the rap game. He was also friends with Future back then and even came up together. But things went south between them over money and business issues. They ended up falling out, and the tension turned into a public beef, with both throwing shots at each other in interviews and on social media. Despite that, “UOENO” still stands as Rocko’s biggest hit.
YouTube and Google, together with Google.org, are contributing $15 million toward relief efforts aiding those impacted by the Los Angeles-area wildfires. The contribution will go to organizations including Emergency Network Los Angeles, American Red Cross and the Center for Disaster Recovery.
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YouTube CEO Neal Mohan made the announcement in a blog post on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
“Los Angeles is the heart of entertainment and storytelling and has an impact on culture all overthe world. It’s also where many YouTube creators, artists, partners and our employees callhome. Like so many, we’ve been heartbroken by the devastation from the wildfires and want todo our part to support the community as it rebuilds,” Mohan wrote.
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He also outlined other efforts Google is making to help aid relief efforts.
“Together with Google.org, YouTube and Google are contributing $15 million to organizationsproviding immediate relief in LA, including Emergency Network Los Angeles, American RedCross and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. And Google is providing accurate and timelyinformation to LA through products and services like Google Search, Google Maps and Waze.
“When it’s safe to reopen our offices in LA, we plan to offer YouTube production facilities toimpacted creators and artists as they begin to recover and rebuild their businesses. In thecoming months, we’ll also host a number of events to bring the YouTube creative communitytogether – making space to connect and share resources.
Mohan ended the blog post by saying, “On the long road ahead, we’ll continue to support recovery and rebuilding efforts alongside our partners across the industry. In moments like these, we see the power of communities coming together to support each other – and the strength and resilience of the YouTube community is like no other.”
Google and YouTube join numerous other organizations that are helping those who lives, homes and businesses have been impacted by the Los Angeles-area wildfires. The announcement follows recent announcements from companies including Amazon, which committed $10 million to relief efforts. Sony Group Corporation previously announced it would donate $5 million to wildfire relief efforts, while the Warner Music Group/Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund pledged $1 million.
The wildfires began Jan. 7 in the Pacific Palisades area just outside of Los Angeles, and swiftly spread to areas including Runyon Canyon and Altadena. The wildfires have swept through at least 40,000 acres in the greater Los Angeles area and killed at least 25 people, according to NBC News. The Los Angeles area is still on high alert as of Wednesday, Jan. 15.
Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley may have had one of the most talked-about celebrity relationships pop culture has ever seen, but only a rare few got to observe the couple up close — one of them being actress Riley Keough, the “Now What” singer’s daughter.
And in a conversation with Alex Cooper on a Call Her Daddy episode posted Wednesday (Jan. 15), the 35-year-old Daisy Jones & The Six star shed some rare insight on her mom’s romance with the King of Pop. “The one thing I know is that they were in love, and that their love for one another was genuine,” Keough told the podcast host. “Everything else I don’t know, because I wasn’t there for it.”
Lisa Marie — Elvis’ only child, who died at 54 years old in January 2023 — shared Riley and late son Benjamin Keough with first husband Danny Keough. The “To Whom It May Concern” songwriter was later married to Jackson from 1994 to 1996, after which she wed Nicolas Cage (2002-04) followed by music producer Michael Lockwood (2006-21), with whom she shared twin daughters.
While speaking to Cooper, Riley also reflected on how her childhood changed when the “Thriller” singer — who died in 2009 — entered the picture. “Our life wasn’t crazier,” she said candidly. “That already existed: the press, the crazy, the paparazzi and all that.”
“I think when she saw Michael’s life, there were things he had that she didn’t have,” continued the Under the Bridge actress. “Before that, she was with my dad, and their life was very simple. She didn’t have 10 million assistants. She didn’t need all that, and I think that changed.”
“There was a lot of closing down things for us,” Riley added of the time period. “It was kind of the only way our family could do things, like if we wanted to go to a toy store, something like that, or ride rides.”
On a more serious note, Riley also addressed the allegations of child molestation her onetime stepfather faced during his lifetime, about which she said she “was never told anything” when she was a kid. Jackson was acquitted on all charges of child molestation in his 2005 trial – with his estate also continuing to emphatically deny all abuse allegations made against him — but two men named Wade Robson and James Safechuck have continued to claim that the superstar sexually abused them as children in civil lawsuits and in the 2019 HBO docuseries Leaving Neverland.
“I think it just was what it was,” the actress said of the controversy, noting that she’s never sought out more information on the matter since becoming an adult. “We didn’t know anything. We didn’t know about the allegations. We had no awareness of that.”
Listen to Riley Keough talk about her mom’s relationship with MJ on Call Her Daddy below.
Wilkommen, bienvenue, howdy partner! Country star Orville Peck is set to make his Broadway debut as the Emcee in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. On Wednesday (Jan. 15), Cabaret announced that the “Dead of Night” singer would take over the iconic role from Adam Lambert starting on March 31, where he will be joined […]
Since opening in Las Vegas in September 2023, the 360-foot-plus tall venue the Sphere has become an instant iconic Vegas structure. Artists including U2, the Eagles and Dead & Company have played the 18,600-capacity venue, which has become known for its immersive live entertainment video and audio experience, including a wraparound interior LED screen, its LED exterior and 4D effects.
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Now, some music fans are speculating that eight-time entertainer of the year winner (four times each for CMAs and ACMs) and mainstay stadium headliner Kenny Chesney is the next artist slated to play the Sphere.
That’s because on Wednesday (Jan. 15), the Sphere posted a video on its social media pages showing the iconic venue lit up with a video that showed ocean waters receding to show a weathered blue chair nestled on an idyllic island beach, and later, an acoustic guitar and a cowboy hat. The social media post from the Sphere was accompanied by a side-eyes emoji.
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“I was waiting for Kenny Chesney to appear in his “old blue chair,” one person commented on the Sphere’s Instagram post. Added another, “Kenny!!! This is going to be a good show.”
A rep for Chesney declined to respond to Billboard‘s request for comment.
The image of an old blue chair has long been associated with East Tennessee native Chesney, who has made island imagery an essential part of his brand. More than two decades ago, Chesney recorded the song “Old Blue Chair” as the concluding song on his 2004 album When the Sun Goes Down. The following year, he released the album Be As You Are (Songs From an Old Blue Chair). The album’s cover featured Chesney seated on a beach, leaning back on an old, weathered blue chair. Chesney also launched his line of Blue Chair Bay rum in 2013. In 2014, he also recorded the song “Christmas in Blue Chair Bay.” Throughout the past several years, numerous promotional videos and photos have featured Chesney and his signature “old blue chair.”
Additionally, Chesney is set to make an unknown announcement on Thursday, Jan. 16, during a visit to TODAY during the 8 a.m. hour. That same day, he will appear on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
“I have always been one to let the music do the talking,” Chesney said in a recent press statement announcing his upcoming television appearances. “This year is going to be unlike any other. This is one time when I probably do need to get out and explain exactly what we’re up to. But for now, I can say this: I am incredibly ramped up about what we’re in the middle of making happen for 2025. It’s one of those things where you can’t just throw it out there – so I am really glad we’re getting to spend some time at TODAY, then The Tonight Show.”
See Sphere’s post below: